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Our next door but one neighbour has started a home dog boarding business. Our houses are a terrace with small courtyard gardens and shared access. The dogs are a complete nuisance. They bark incessantly and foul their yard which stinks. Our neighbours are nice people but totally self centred and thoughtless, their immediate neighbours have had lots of issues which the couple have refused to sort out costing them lots of money. I'm hoping to sell my home in the next couple of years so am wary of making waves but it's making it intolerable living here and I think will make it difficult to sell, we've tried the tea and cake approach and that hasn't worked, what can I do?

Check with your local council whether they have a licence. The council should have been out and inspected as part of the licence process and set a limit for how many dogs they can board at once in the space they have.

Check with your local council whether they have a licence. The council should have been out and inspected as part of the licence process and set a limit for how many dogs they can board at once in the space they have.

Thank you for all your advice, I will check with their immediate neighbours but I don't think anyone has been consulted. I'm not concerned for the welfare of the animals as they are nice people and I'm sure wouldn't mistreat them in anyway. I'm just worried that if I take any of the suggested actions I will have to declare it when I sell. Can I do any anonymously?

Its quite common for people to leave their dogs living in a home situation rather than in a kennel. My dog walker offers the same service in her own home. Usually its just a case of adding one or two extra dogs to the ones that already live there rather than keeping lots in cages/runs etc. as you would see at a boarding kennel.

The problem for the neighbours is that the training and behaviour of the dogs will be variable, and they are in a strange place so possibly more likely to bark than usual anyway.

Licensed dog walker and "cash in hand" boarder ... Someone reported her (not me) but she said she was looking after the dogs for friends, not charging for the a service so that was that. I know she charges. Thankfully she doesn't have dogs all day every day as she is still a dog walker so is generally out and about but if she has boarders it's like barkfest day and night for a while.

They should be keeping the yard clean of course, and if the smell is affecting the neighbours it would be reasonable to knock on and ask them to sort it, but I don't think not having a big garden is a dealbreaker on treating the dogs properly. If the neighbour works as a dog walker I assume they are being walked and getting exercise.

They should be keeping the yard clean of course, and if the smell is affecting the neighbours it would be reasonable to knock on and ask them to sort it, but I don't think not having a big garden is a dealbreaker on treating the dogs properly.

If the neighbour works as a dog walker I assume they are being walked and getting exercise.

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